Slipstreaming is a common phenomenon in road cycling that occurs when strong crosswinds affect the peloton. This causes the peloton to spread out, and small groups form as riders try to stay in the slipstream. In cycling, slipstreaming refers to the area directly behind a rider where air resistance is significantly reduced. Those who slipstream save up to 30–40% of their energy because they need to exert less effort to maintain the same speed.
How does the slipstream work?
- A rider riding in front encounters full air resistance.
- Behind it, an area with less air turbulence is created – the slipstream.
- Drivers who position themselves close behind can take advantage of this effect and thus protect themselves.
Tactical use of the slipstream
- Peloton (main field): In a race, riding in the slipstream saves energy and helps you ride at a high speed over longer distances.
- Change of leadership: In groups (e.g. Belgian roundabout) the drivers take turns to distribute the load.
- Attacks & Counterattacks: Strong riders often attack from the slipstream because they have been able to recover beforehand.
Slipstream is particularly important when riding on wind edges and uphill – if you are incorrectly positioned, you will quickly lose contact.
- In strong crosswinds, the slipstream is not used directly behind, but to the side of the person in front.
- This means that if a group is wide enough, at some point there will be no more room for other riders in the slipstream.
- Anyone who then no longer finds space in the "protected" position remains unprotected in the wind and loses contact.
Why is a wind edge dangerous?
- High speed increase: Strong teams deliberately use wind edges as a tactic to break up the field.
- Riders who are left behind have little chance: once you have fallen out of the protected row, it is difficult to get back on track.
- Battle for position: When the wind is on the edge, position in the field counts more than pure strength – you have to be in the right place at the right time.
A famous example of wind edge tactics is the Tour de France, where teams often launch attacks in strong crosswinds to overtake competitors.
